The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-06-30

VIC stranger ana would not 60 to
sleep again. La Fleuriotte fondled
and coaxed and kissed her darling
With endearing words, the artless ex-
preston OF which moved the poor
| bretonne in an unwonted manner.
1t summoned up confused maternal
instinct still slumbering in the breast
OF one who had been condemned for
| sitting her newborn babe. She was
| alive to the fact that if things "had
not turned out badly" her own little
one would now BE about as old as
that little girl.
A motherly yearning rose in her
beating heart. Her feelings, so long
chilled, were reused to their Utmost
depths by this haunting thought and
the sound of the sweet childish voice;
a melting softness spread througout
her being, and she had q good mind to
give way to tears.
"Now, my darling" said La Fleu.
riotte, ''eo to sleep like good girl,
and il you do, I'll take you to-mor.
row. to Sainte GATHERINGS Fair"
"Sainte Catherine is the festiv al for
little girls, isn't it, mammal"
Eyes, my dear"
us it true that on that day sainte
Catherine brings pretty toys to chill.
drsn?"
Eyes, sometimes"
"Why, then, doesn't she ever bring
some to me, mamma?"
because we live so far away. and
then again we are Goo poor"
'Then, she only brings toys to the
rich, does she? Why? I should like
to have some too"
well, some day, if you are q good
girl and 20 to sleep, she may perhaps
bring you some Also"
"Oh, then I'll go to sleep right of.
so she may bring the some to-mor-
row."
A stiffness followed. Then the soft.
gentle breathing of both mother and
child showed that they had followed
asleep together.
Bot the Bretonne could not close
her eyes. A feeling at once indignant
and tender ciutched her at the heart,
aud more than ever before at any
time OF her life she thought OF the de-
tenceless, harmless little creature she
had ruthlessly strangled.
This dreadful, remorseful feeling
lasted until the first streak of dawn.
At break of day LaFleuriotte and her
child were still locked in ca Oh others
arms.
The Bretonne noiselessly crept out
OF the hovel, and making the best OF
her way back to Auberive, slackened
her stepsonly when she reached the
first houses of the small place. She
slowly walked up the only street in the
village, intently gazing at the sign
boards over each shop.
At last one Of these signs arrested
her attention. She knocked at the
shutters and the door was opened.
1t was one OF those little country
stores where, besides a variety of
haberdashery wares, cheap second
hand toys may be bought, cardboard
dolls, Noah's arks, and baa-lambs.
The amazement of the woman who
kept the store was unbounded when
she saw the Bretonne buy up and pay
for the whole stock.
The Bretcnne was proceeding with
ajoyful heart on her way back to the
hovel when a heavy-gloved hand fell
upon her shoulder. She started. and,
On turning round, shuddered to find
herself tace to face with g. corporal
OF gcndarmes.
The wretched woman had forgotten
that all liberated convicts were forbid.
den to remain in the precincts of the
Central House Of Detention.
"lnstead of vagabondizing round
here, you ought to have already
reached Langres," said the military
man in grutf voice. "Come, be off,
She wanted to explain, but it was of
no use. a cart was put into requisi-
ton; she had to get up into it, and
away went the horses, under escort of
one OF the gendarmes.
The cart jolted mercilessly along the
frozen road. The poor Bretonne, with
a half broken heart, clutched her little
parcel OF playthings in her benumbed
fingers. Soon, at q turn in the road,
she discovered the path which entered
the wood.
Her heart leaped and she besought
the gendarme to stop for q moment.
She had q commission, shs said, for
La Fleuriotte, woman who lived
there, close by. She besought with
such an earnestness OF manner and
feeling that the gendarme, who after
all was a good.natured fellow, allowed
himself to be swayed by her entreaties.
The cart was stopped, the horse
was tied to a tree. the gendarme and
his prisoner got down, and they went
up the path that led to the h6vel in
the wood.
La Fleuriotte was busy chopping
wood in front OF her door, When she
looked up and caught sight of the
! woman whom she had housed on the
previous evening in the hands of O.
gendarme she stood with her mouth
open like one petrified.
"Hush!" calculated the Bretonne,
as she put her finger to her lips. "Is
the little one still asleep"
Eyes; but"
Garry these toys softly to her bed.
| side and tell her that Sainte Catherine
| sent them to her. went back to Au-
Derive to fetch them, but it seems
hh: no right to do so, and l am be-
ing taken on to Langres.
Holy mother of God!" exclaimed
La Fleuriotte.
"Hush!''
They all drew near the bed wher.
the child lay.
The BretOnne took the cardboard
dolls, Noah's arks, and the baa-lambs,
scattered them gently over the cover
let, kissed the thin, naked arm of the
yet slumbering child, and then, turning
towards the gendarme, who quickly
brushed a tear from his eye, quietly
| said:
"Now, we can 60 on our way.
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From the Virginia City Enterprise.